Discover The Sacred Valley Of The Incas In Peru
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is located in the province of Cuzco, in Peru. It takes place at the foot of the Andes and is the gateway to the city of Machu Picchu. It is a valley that has become one of the favorite places to travel in the Andean country.
Some data of the Sacred Valley of the Incas
Located about 45 kilometers from the city of Cuzco, its fertile lands, watered by the Urubamba River, made this valley a favorite place for the Incas. Thus, some of the main archaeological sites in the country are located there, such as Moray or the salt pans of Maras still in use.
Thanks to its production of lucuma, avocado, potato, coca leaf, various fruits and corn, it was one of the main suppliers of the Inca court and the rest of the population of Tawantinsuyo. It is the same that happened with the Colca valley, located in the department of Arequipa, in the south of the country.
This valley was also a cosmological center. Thus, Willcamayu as the Incas knew it, was had as the counterpart of the Milky Way on Earth. And it was one of the spaces chosen by the Incas for their rest.
What to see in the Valley of the Incas
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is a space of endless enjoyment for travelers. Although, here we are going to highlight the most important places, those that you cannot miss if you visit it.
Yucay, the capital of the Sacred Valley
In it you can visit a very special building from the historical, architectural and engineering point of view: the Palace of the Inka Manco Sayri Tupac Segundo. It is a building that combines mud adobe and stone. It is a perfect example of the hydraulic engineering that so dominated this culture.
Pisac, the observatory of the Incas
Considered the astronomical observatory of the Incas, it has two different spaces. This is, a town from the colonial era and some ruins from the Inca era.
You cannot miss the town’s square. It is the social and cultural center of Pisac. It is a square full of colors and traditional craft stalls. Meanwhile, in the Inca era ruins, the remains of an impressive imperial palace and a spectacular agricultural terrace area await you.
The salt flats of Maras
In the valley you can enjoy the unique landscape that these salt flats create. It is a complex made up of 5000 salt pools of approximately 5 m² each, which are filled with the salty water of the river coming from the Qaqawiñay mountain. A jewel of pre-Inca engineering that is still in operation thanks to the local population.
Archaeological site of Moray
In Moray you can admire concentric terraces of astonishing perfection. It is said that it was the laboratory of the Incas because in each terrace a microclimate was generated that allowed the Incas to experiment with different crops. Thus, they were able to determine what type of crop was indicated for each of the heights.
Ollantaytambo
It is the furthest town from Cuzco within the Sacred Valley of the Incas. It is a beautiful settlement from colonial times, but during the Inca Empire it already had great importance. Thus, we can differentiate two sectors.
On the one hand, we find the town of Ollantaytambo. A town that preserves the flavor of the architectural tradition of the Incas, combined with the checkerboard urbanism imposed by the Spanish.
And on the other, you have to visit the fortified city from the Inca period. It seems that it had the mission of being a kind of control before the arrival in the city of Machu Picchu. In addition, from its station you can take the train that takes you to this wonder of Peru.
During the colony it was one of the favorite places for the viceroys and, of course, walking through its streets is quite an experience. Thus, your visit is the ideal culmination of any tour to get to know the Sacred Valley.
